The artificial cartilage is superior to the real one. Free Technical Library News

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Artificial cartilage is superior to real

22.08.2022

Scientists from Duke University (USA) have created the first gel-based cartilage substitute that is even stronger and more durable than real cartilage.

The hydrogel is made from water-absorbing polymers. It can be squeezed and pulled with more force than natural cartilage and is three times more resistant to wear and tear.

To make this material, the team filled thin sheets of cellulose fibers with polyvinyl alcohol - a polymer made up of thread-like chains of repeating molecules - to form a gel.

Cellulose fibers act like the collagen fibers in natural cartilage: they provide tensile strength to the gel. Polyvinyl alcohol helps it return to its original form. The result is a jelly-like material consisting of 60% water. It is flexible yet surprisingly durable. This material is attached to a titanium base, which is installed in place of damaged cartilage.

The laboratory cartilage proved to be 26% stronger than natural cartilage in tension, and 66% stronger in compression. Previously, in an attempt to create stronger hydrogels, scientists used the freeze-thaw process. It produced crystals within the gel that displaced water and helped hold the polymer chains together. The new study instead applied heat treatment - annealing - to force even more crystals to form in the polymer network.

By increasing the crystal content, the researchers were able to create a gel capable of withstanding five times the tensile load and almost twice the compressive load compared to freeze-thaw methods. The improved strength of the annealed gel also helped secure it to the joint and make it stay in place.

The artificial hydrogel mimics the smooth, slippery and pliable nature of real cartilage. At the same time, it protects other articular surfaces from friction when they slide over the implant. Its surface was three times stronger than the surface of real cartilage.

Implants made from the new material are currently being developed by Sparta Biomedical and are being tested on sheep. The researchers are preparing to begin human clinical trials next year.

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